Unidentified Complication
by Triangulum
Summary: Ziva and Tony were just getting used to their new life together. But then..."Tony, why is there a picture of you on my dead Marine's fridge?" They run into a few complications. Tiva established. SEQUAL TO UNIDENTIFIED ASSAILANT!
1. On The Fridge

**A/N I MISSED the Tiva fan community! So this takes place a few months after my other story, Unidentified Assailant. It isn't completely necessary to read that first, but I would recommend it. Enjoy!**

Tony and Ziva had easily fallen into a life with each other. Sneakily, of course. Well, so they thought. It wasn't that easy to fool Gibbs, Abby, Ducky or McGee. Palmer was easy. So Gibbs, Abby, Ducky, and McGee studiously ignored the looks that passed between their two coworkers.

Ziva and Tony split the nights between their houses, neither one of them willing to give up there personal homes yet. Ziva rolled over lazily, enjoying the morning sun. She was debating on the best way to wake Tony. Biting him rather hard on the ear sounded good, but stealing the sheets until he was buck naked also had its appeal.

She jumped as the cell phone next to her bed started ringing loudly. Tony had taken the liberty of changing her ring tone to some absurd song by Britney Spear, with some guy in the background making a sound like a chicken after she said 'piece of me'. This was, of course, her personal phone, not the one she used for NCIS business.

Tony stuffed his head under the pillow as she answered.

"Hello?" she said, annoyed.

"Ms. Darren?" the voiced asked. Ziva groaned. Tony had set her up with a cell phone under the name Lisa Darren months ago to avoid calls from her father. Long story short, they'd had a falling out after Ziva found out that he hadn't tried to save her sister from the terrorists who'd murdered her. "I'm calling from NetCom Cable - "

"Do you _know _what time it is?" she growled.

"Uh, yes," the man said, unsure.

"Because I am serious considering rendering your intestines from your -"

"Good morning!" Tony interrupted, grabbing the phone from her and saving the hapless cable man. "We're busy, don't call again this early."

"Sir, if I could have a minute of your time…" Tony rolled his eyes. Had to give the kid points for trying.

"We're about to have hot monkey sex, kid," Tony said. "So really, don't call again." He hung up and tossed the phone away. "You just gotta speak their language sometimes."

"Really?" Ziva asked smiling. "So we are about to have hot monkey sex, are we?"

"Well," Tony said, rolling over until his nose touched Ziva's. "That's up to you, isn't it?"

"Hmm," she said, a look of mock consideration on her face. "I believe I like the way you think Agent DiNozzo." Ziva pressed her lips to Tony's, only to groan when the average sounding ring tong went off, signaling Tony's NCIS phone was ringing.

"Yeah, DiNozzo," he answered, still staring at Ziva.

"DiNozzo, triple homicide, dead Marine and his family. You and Ziva meet us at the scene," Gibbs voice commanded.

"Yeah Boss, we'll be there soon," Tony said, then froze, realizing the implications of his words. "Uhm, Boss, what I mean is, I'll call Ziva, Officer David, and we'll be there. We'll be there soon, after I call her and pick her up."

"Uh huh, DiNozzo," Gibbs said.

"Yeah Boss, so uhm, I'll go call our Mossad assassin and uhm, I'm sure she'll be ready and we'll be there soon."

"If you say so, DiNozzo," Gibbs said before hanging up. Ziva looked at Tony with raised eyebrows.

"You handled that really badly," Ziva informed him. Tony stuffed his head back under the pillow. He let out a series of noises, cluing Ziva in to the fact that he was freaking out.

"Tony! Tony, Tony, Tony!" Ziva shook his shoulders and yanked him into a sitting position. "Relax! Gibbs knows we sometimes socialize outside of work, yes?" Tony nodded slowly, clutching his pillow. "And it is, good god, it's noon on a Saturday. It is conceivable that we would be having lunch, or something."

"This is true," Tony said, sitting up straighter. He pulled her in for a quick kiss. "I knew I loved you for a reason!" Ziva rolled her eyes and hopped off of Tony's bed and yanked open the drawer he had gifted her and began the search for clean clothes.

* * *

"The victims are Petty Officer Carl Mason, his wife Ophelia and their eight year old son, James," Ducky informed Tony and Ziva when they arrived on the scene. The Masons had lived in a modest little neighborhood close to the base.

"Cause of death?" Gibbs asked.

"Well I can't know for certain but I'm fairly sure it's gunshot wound for the boy and a slit throat for both parents. I'll be able to say that officially after the autopsy," Ducky said.

"Thanks, Duck."

"So Boss," Tony started. "How'd we draw the lucky Saturday straw? I thought it was a different team's turn to work."

"It was, DiNozzo," Gibbs said. "But we had a little complication and the Director decided we needed to see this."

"What complication?" Ziva asked. Gibbs beckoned them to follow and led them into the Masons' kitchen. On the fridge was what one would expect. School pictures, drawings, report cars, family pictures etc.

"What're we supposed to be looking at, Boss?" Tony asked.

"That, DiNozzo," Gibbs said, pointing to a picture half obscured by James Mason's school photo. Tony's eyes widened.

"Is that…?" Tony asked.

"It is," Ziva said, as confused as Tony.

"Care to explain why there's a picture of you on our dead Marine's fridge?" Gibbs asked.

**A/N So some of you were annoyed or unhappy with the scenes with Ziva and Tony in bed in the last story. Let me just say this, I will not write Ziva and Tony having sex in this story and I didn't in Unidentified Assailant. This is just them talking and probably kissing, nothing worth an M rating, but I figured I'd warn you just in case. If this bothers you, I'm letting you know odds are I'll include at least another few scenes of them together in bed, because I like them being so relaxed.**


	2. Lia Fiori

**A/N So I'll probably be updating this about once a week. From now on I'll be updating my stories around once a week. I have eight-ish that I'm in the middle of, so I'll try to update a story a day. But my work schedule is getting heavier, so no promises.**

"Have you figured out how you know this family?" Ziva asked.

"I'm not…positive yet," Tony said, frowning.

"Well figure it out DiNozzo," Gibbs said from his desk. All of the evidence had been brought back from the crime scene and was being processed by Abby. Ducky was busy autopsying the family, which he insisted was an even greater shame than normal due to the age of James Mason.

Tony sat at his desk, frowning slightly. He was considering the picture of James Mason and his mother. The woman's hair was a bleach blonde, and her skin an unnatural tan that was starting to wrinkle from too much time in the sun. She looked a good ten years older than she was when she died.

"What do we have on the family?" Gibbs asked.

"Not much yet," Ziva admitted. "Petty Officer Mason appears to be well like, as was his wife. Their son had no major issues at school and was also quite popular. He liked to tease apparently, but not enough to make anyone angry. He was more like the class clown."

"Ok, Ziva you focus on the petty officer, McGee, take the wife," Gibbs ordered. "Tony, help them where needed and figure out where you know this family!"

An hour later, Gibbs called them all to report in.

"Ophelia has been married to Carl for almost nine years, their son was born only a few months after their marriage," McGee said. "Ophelia comes from old money and got cut off when she 'married down', as they called it."

"What family?" Gibbs asked.

"Fiori, Ophelia-"

"Lia Fiori!" Tony said, jumping up. He ran to the screen between his desk and McGee's and grabbed the remote. He flipped through the pictures of Ophelia until he landed on one that must have been her before all the tanning beds. Her hair was a darker, natural blonde. Her skin was paler and her eyes a less troubled clear blue.

"You know the wife," McGee muttered, rolling his eyes. "Of course you do."

"Lia Fiori…she was the daughter of congressman Jackson Fiori. We uhm…Lia and I dated. The only reason he liked me was that my family was rich, too. Even though they kicked me out. Anyways, Lia and I were together for a few months, then she left me out of the blue," Tony said, eyes wide. "Lia…damn."

"When did she leave you?" Ziva asked.

"Uh, eight years ago, give or take a few months, why?" Tony asked.

"And how old is James Mason?" Ziva asked slowly.

"Almost nine years old…" McGee said, jaw dropping.

"So it is conceivable…" Ziva said slowly. "That James is…"

"No! No way!" Tony said, taking a few quick steps back. "No way, Lia, I mean, Ophelia, would have told me. She would have mentioned if I had a…a son…"

Silence for a few seconds. Then, "It would explain the quick marriage to Mason only a few months after the two of you broke up," Ziva said slowly.

"No," Tony said, almost pleading. "This doesn't make sense."

"Tony," Gibbs said, unusually kindly. "Go down to Ducky. Tell him to send DNA from James Mason up to Abby for analysis. We have to be sure."

Tony nodded a few too many times, eyes still wide. He stumbled out of the work area and to the elevator.

"He could have just called down," McGee said as soon as Tony was gone. "He didn't need to make the trip."

"I know that," Gibbs said. "But DiNozzo needs some time to take this in, to process it. He'll be ok."

Ziva glanced at Tony's retreating back.

"No Ziva," Gibbs said without looking up.

"But, Gibbs…"

"No, Ziva," Gibbs repeated. "Tony needs time." Ziva glared and just went back to work.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Tony pushed the emergency stop button in the elevator, in Gibbs-style. He leaned against the wall, taking in deep breaths. He hit his head against the wall lightly, trying to clear it. He realized he was probably about to hyperventilate and leaned over, putting his head between his legs. He punched the wall of the elevator as hard as he could, sucking in a breath before hitting the button to continue the elevator.

He was still staring at the wall, lost in his thoughts, when the doors opened. He walked out blindly, bumping into Abby a few feet into her lab.

"Whoa Tony, where's the fire?" Abby asked, steadying them both.

"Uhm…I…I, Ducky…need…" Tony stammered out.

"Tony, what's wrong?" Abby asked taking in his expression. "Tony, what happened?"

"I need to talk to Ducky," Tony said, eyes still shocked and wide.

"Tony, sit," Abby said firmly, dragging him into her office. She pushed Bert the farting hippo into his arms. He squeezed it, eyes still shocked wide.

"Can you call Ducky for me?" he asked.

"Sure, Tony, and tell him what?" Abby asked, on her knees in front of him.

"To send you some of James Mason's DNA."

"Why?" Abby asked, brows pulling together in confusion.

"To test against his mother, father, and…me."

**A/N Thanks for all the adds and favorites! And thank you reviewers, meb, djEskimo, alexcullen1, M E Wafford and whoever the guest was, you make my day!**


	3. That's A Yes

**A/N I'm sorry it's been so long, real life just kind of took over and Spartan-kicked me in the face. Here we go.**

Abby's eyes were wide and she stood there, shocked, for thirty seconds before she could even move. She walked, jaw dropped, to the phone. She picked it up and paged Ducky.

"Yes my dear?" the crackly voice of Ducky came over the speaker.

"Ducky," Abby squeaked. "I need you to send up a DNA sample from the boy-"

"James," Tony interrupted hoarsely. Abby looked at him. "The boy's name was James."

"James," Abby said quietly into the phone. "Some of James's DNA, and a sample from Ophelia and Carl."

"Why?" Ducky asked. Abby looked to Tony. Tony shook his head vigorously. He didn't want Ducky to know yet, Gibbs, McGee, Ziva and Abby was already too large of a group.

"Just send it up Ducky, please?" Abby asked. "I promise I'll explain everything in good time." Ducky sighed.

"All right my dear, it is on its way."

"Thanks." Abby clicked off the phone. She turned to Tony who was still sitting down and hugging Bert to his chest. He slithered out of the chair and sat on the floor, squeezing the hippo. "Tony…"

"Yeah?" Tony asked. "What is it Abby?"

"Tony, uhm, how?" Abby asked softly, sitting next to him.

"Abs," Tony said. "I just…an ex-girlfriend. I dated Lia the right amount of time ago…James possibly, he could, he could be mine…"

"Oh, Tony," Abby said, running over. She wrapped her arms around him in a huge bear hug.

* * *

"What are you going to do with Tony?" McGee asked.

"I'm going to keep him here on desk duty," Gibbs answered without looking up.

"Is that strictly necessary?" Ziva asked. Gibbs looked up.

"Officer David, you know it is," Gibbs said.

"You think Tony will compromise this investigation?" Ziva asked.

"I know you think DiNozzo cares enough that he would do anything to find the Mason's killer, and you're probably right," Gibbs said. "And that's the problem. I want this killer and I want it to stick. I don't want him getting off on some technicality."

"I know Boss," Tony said, walking in. His face was blank and composed. "I'll stay here and do more research while you, Ziva and Probie question, run around, all that boring stuff."

"DiNozzo…" McGee said.

"Can it Probie," Tony said, turning his eyes to the computer.

"McGee," Gibbs announced. "Go get the car, we're going to talk to the relatives and friends."

"Got it," McGee said scrambling out. Gibbs stood.

"I have to fill in Vance on what's going on," Gibbs said. "We leave in three minutes, Ziva."

Ziva walked over and sat on Tony's desk as Gibbs disappeared into the Director's office.

"Tony…"

"Ziva," Tony said, not looking up from his computer.

"Tony, I know how you must feel."

"I know, Ziva," Tony said.

"If you need anything-"

"I don't," Tony snapped interrupting her. Ziva stood, taken aback. Tony quickly tried to recover. "No, I'm sorry Ziva. I just mean, I don't know what I need right now."

"I understand," Ziva nodded, slowly walking back to her desk.

"We're out," Gibbs said, walking by. Ziva grabbed her things, muttering "I love you" as she passed Tony's desk. He locked eyes with her as she stood waiting for the elevator to close.

"I love you too," he said under his breath.

* * *

"Well that was useless," McGee said, six hours later.

They had talked to the Masons' neighbors and friends, and all they had heard was that they were model neighbors and very nice people.

"Everyone has an enemy McGee, whether or not they are aware of it," Ziva said.

"Well you would know, you have like a million," McGee muttered.

"We'll talk to Ophelia's family tomorrow, then the petty officer's later in the day," Gibbs said. "There's nothing more we can do tonight. Go home, sleep."

LINELINELINE

"I don't know what to do Ziva," Tony admitted later that night. They were in her living room, sitting on the carpeted floor. Tony had had a little too much to drink. "Really Ziva, I really don't know."

"I know," she said. He was lying face down on the floor, Ziva rubbing his back in endless circles.

"If James was my son, then Lia, Lia she kept him from me, ya know?" he slurred. "And he's dead and I never got to know him. If it wasn't my son, well...ya know."

"I know," Ziva said again.

"I know it sounds really, really bad," Tony started. "But I hope he wasn't my son. I mean sure he was a great kid, but I don't want my kid to be dead! If I have a son, or daughter, either way, I want them alive!"

"I know," Ziva said yet again. Tony's phone rang and he shot up, fumbling for it.

"Whozzit?" he asked into the receiver. "It's three AM, you know! Oh. Hi Abby. Yup. Yeah. Just tell me!" There was silence for a few seconds, then - "Thanks Abby."

"Was that the DNA results?" Ziva asked.

"Yes," Tony said, breathing out.

"And?" Ziva asked gently, taking his hand in hers.

"It was a yes. James Mason should more accurately be described as James DiNozzo. Ophelia didn't tell me, but James was my son."


	4. Maddie

**A/N I'm not ever letting the update schedule get this horrible again, I promise. Please don't eat my face off.**

Of course, Abby called Gibbs right after she called Tony. Gibbs was silent for a good thirty seconds before sighing. "Thanks, Abs," he said before hanging up. Gibbs wasn't used to being this torn on an issue. Usually the right course of action was easy to see, lit up like the North Pole. Now, all he saw was fog. On the one hand, he wanted this killer behind bars. On the other, it would be pretty damn hypocritical of him to try to deny Tony the opportunity to exact revenge on the killer of his son.

Gibbs sighed, exasperated and rolled out of his bed. Needing time to think, he headed to the basement.

* * *

Tony walked in the next morning, stoic faced and silent. Without a word, he sat at his desk and began to work. McGee just stared, confused. No 'probie', no rude jabs or movie references, just silence. Ziva walked in a minute or so later, eyes heavy, also silent. When Gibbs came back from the director's office, also stony faced and silent, it hit McGee.

"Oh my God, Tony!"

"I don't want to hear it, Probie!" Tony yelled before McGee could get out the words.

"But-"

"Knock it off, Probie!"

"McGee." Gibbs said and shook his head, telling him to let it go. McGee just gaped like a goldfish, eyes bulging and mouth opening and closing silently.

"Where are we?" Gibbs asked. No one spoke. McGee was still too shocked and Ziva wasn't sure what to say. "Hey!" Gibbs yelled in an attempt to bring everything back to normal. "People!"

"I need to speak with DiNozzo," Vance said, trekking into their cubicle area. He stared around them, no one was talking still. "In my office," Vance added, walking away. Tony didn't look at anyone as he stood and followed Vance up the stairs. Ziva immediately turned to Gibbs.

"What do we do?" she asked. Ziva never asked Gibbs to tell her what to do. Gibbs did something that never happened; he broke eye contact. Ziva frowned, deflating.

"We do our job."

* * *

"DiNozzo," Vance said, making a swooping motion with his hand. "Take a seat." Tony did, staring at Vance with a blank face. "I'm taking you off the case."

"Why?" Tony asked, very careful not to show his dismay and anger.

"You're too close to this case and you know it."

"No sir, I don't," Tony said.

"DiNozzo, your son was the victim!" Vance said. Tony fought back the wince that came with that phrase.

"With all due respect sir, it isn't an issue," Tony said. He couldn't get taken off this case. What he was about to say was going to make him seem and feel horrible, but it needed to happen. He silently apologized to Ophelia and James. "Sir, I never knew James. I feel no attachment at all, and I don't need to be taken off the case. James, for all intents and purposes, was not my son."

Vance just stared, taken aback by Tony's coldness. "Very well, DiNozzo," he said finally. "You can go, I'll be keeping an eye on you though."

Tony nodded as he left the room. It almost physically hut him to say James didn't matter, but in order to stay on the case and get justice for his son, it needed to be done. He took a deep breath and rejoined his team.

Ziva met his eyes as he walked in. He looked away quickly, sure that she could see the shame of what he had done written all over his face.

"What was that about?" she asked.

"Nothing, questions about an old case. What's on the agenda for today?"

"Vance didn't take you off the case?" McGee blurted out before he could think. Tony turned slowly, letting McGee see the annoyance on his face. McGee got a glimpse of the fine rage in Tony's eyes before he shut them down.

"No, he didn't, can we get a move on now?"

"McGee and Ziva are going to interview Mrs. Mason's family. You and I will see the petty officer's. See if we can learn anything new. We leave in ten."

"You're not making me stay on desk duty?" Tony asked.

"No, you're coming with me. Like I said."

* * *

"It's crazy, isn't it Ziva?" McGee asked as they pulled out of the parking lot. Ziva answered with a grunt.

"I mean, you think your life is steady, you know exactly what's going on, then you realize you know nothing, and life just cleverly fooled you so it could sneak up behind you and beat you over the head when you aren't looking…"

Ziva still didn't answer.

"Whoever would have thought, Tony having a kid…"

McGee didn't notice the tightening around Ziva's eyes as she remained silent.

"I mean we all joked about it, all the women he goes through…"

Ziva's knuckles were white on the steering wheel.

"But to have it confirmed, how will he be able to live with himself?"

"McGee," Ziva said through gritted teeth. "You are my coworker and my friend, but if you do not desist I will render you limbless. Do we understand each other?" McGee nodded too fast, eyes wide.

* * *

"We are very sorry for you loss," Gibbs said gently to the parents of Carl Mason. Mrs. Mason nodded, hand clinging to her husband's.

"He was a good son," she said.

"He was a good Marine," Mr. Mason added gruffly.

"Yes sir, he was," Gibbs said. "Do you know of anyone that would want to hurt your son or his wife?"

"No, no one had a grudge against him or anything like that," Mrs. Mason promised. Tony glanced around, seeing movement out of the corner of his eye. A little girl with blonde hair and wide blue eyes was peering around the corner. Tony quietly left Gibbs talking to the Masons and made his way over to the other side of the spacious room.

"Hi there," Tony said, squatting down. "My name's Tony, what's yours?"

"Maddie," the girl said, shyly. Tony noticed she was a year or two older than James was. "Why are you talking to my grandparents?"

"It's kind of a grown-up thing."

"That's what they all say," she said huffily. "They think I'm stupid. I'm not stupid. It's about Auntie Ophelia, Uncle Carl and James, huh?"

"Yes, it is," Tony answered. "How did you know?"

"Mommy said they died," Maddie said. "Are you trying to find out why?"

"Yes, I'm going to find out why," Tony promised.

"Are you sad?" she asked suddenly.

"Yes, I am," Tony, asked, taken aback.

"Me, too. I miss my cousin," Maddie said sadly. "He was really nice."

"What was he like?" Tony couldn't help but ask.

"He was really funny. He made a lot of jokes. Auntie Ophelia told him to knock it off a lot, but she smiled still. Uncle Carl took him to look at planes a lot. James hit a boy at school once," Maddie said.

"Why?" Tony asked.

"He pulled on my ponytail. James told him to stop and he wouldn't stop. So James hit him. He got in a lot of trouble, but he didn't care, he said people didn't treat his family like that."

Maddie and Tony didn't talk for a few minutes.

"I'm going to miss my cousin."

* * *

"Did you get anything from Ophelia's parents?" Gibbs asked when they all met back at NCIS.

"Nothing useful," McGee said. "They told us about a safety deposit box that the couple had though."

"That's better than nothing," Gibbs said. "Take Ziva, check it out."

"Yeah, Boss, " McGee said, following Ziva out.

"Boss?" Tony asked when they were alone.

"Yeah, DiNozzo?"

"Why didn't you leave me on desk duty?"

Gibbs leveled his steel gaze on Tony, and spoke slowly. "Because Tony, as I am able to say I know from experience, you need something to do before you go crazy."


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N So this took entirely too long, I am very very sorry about that. Health problems and all that. **

**Thank you patient readers and my awesome reviewers, Luna Zola, Team Rosalie, Betherzz, power214063, kit-kat135, stevielicious, alexcullen1, djEskimo, Shadowhunter536, meb, and M E Wofford!**

"Gibbs?" Ziva said into her phone. "McGee and I are on our way back with the contents of the safety deposit box. There are the usual things, savings bonds for James, a few rings, birth certificates, etc. But there are three letters threatening the family that we need to take a look at."

"What about?" Gibbs asked.

"They are trying to extort money from the family. Threatening to expose Congressman Fiori's mistress."

Pinching the bridge of his nose, Gibbs continued. "Bring it in, we'll see what we have."

* * *

The team sent the letters to Abby, who easily pulled a print from the paper.

"They weren't very good, or maybe new, never know," she'd said. Gibbs immediately put out a BOLO and within two hours, two police officers were dragging in their suspect, Mr. Niles Granger.

"So why'd you do it?" Gibbs asked. Granger's eyes darted around, desperate to find a way out.

"I'm sure I don't know what you're talking about."

"Right, the letters you sent threatening the Mason family were just a joke."

"I don't recall sending any letters."

"Think a little harder," Gibbs said. "We know you couldn't do this alone. There's no way you would have the information, and no way to kill all three people that quietly."

"What are you saying?"

"Tell us what happened, or when we find your partners, they will."

Tony and Ziva watched from behind the two way mirror, arms crossed and expressions dark.

"We should have shot him," Ziva muttered.

"Then he couldn't tell us who was behind this," Tony pointed out, though he had to admit it sounded appealing.

"Well we wouldn't have shot him anywhere vital," Ziva said dismissively. Gibbs walked back in behind them.

"The mastermind was the congressman's aide, he hired Granger and his brother to kidnap James and his family to get money from the congressman when the extortion didn't work," Gibbs said.

"Then why are they dead?" Ziva asked. "That is not how kidnapping works."

"Mason fought back. The brothers panicked and killed them," Gibbs said. He clapped a hand on Tony's shoulder before walking out. "I'm sorry Tony."

"Gibbs," Tony said, before Gibbs could leave. "Gibbs let me be there when you pick up the aide. Please."

Gibbs turned and appraised him before answering. "You can't injure him. We will need him for prosecution."

"I know. I need to be there when the man that killed my son is brought in," Tony said. "Please don't make me beg." Gibbs considered it for a moment before nodding.

"Ziva, Tony, let's get a move on.

* * *

The four agents walked into the congressman's office, flashed their badges and walked to Congressman Fiori.

"Mr. DiNozzo," he greeted. "It is good to see you again. I wish it was under better circumstances."

"It's good to see you too. We have had some developments in the case we thought you should be made aware of," Tony answered.

"Perhaps we should go." The two men by the desk made to move by Gibbs shook his head.

"Mr. Bell, you can stay."

"What's going on?" Fiori asked.

"We think you should know, that the reason they were killed is after extortion failed, Mr. Bell and his two associates tried to kidnap the family for ransom," Ziva told him. Bell blanched.

"Mr. Fiori, this is not true! How long have I been your aide? How long have I stood by your side! I would never…"

"Quiet!" Fiori yelled, fury dancing across his face. He turned and looked Tony in the eye. "Are you absolutely sure, son?"

"Yes," Tony said. "I'm sorry. There's something else…"

"What, what could possibly be worse?"

"In the course of the investigation…we discovered that Mason wasn't James' father. I was."

"Oh," Fiori said, looking at Tony with tears in his eyes. "My dear boy, I am so sorry…Ophelia never told us."

"She never told me either." Tony walked to stand in front of Bell, now being restrained by Ziva. "You," he hissed into his face, "you killed my son. I will never know him now. I will make SURE that you rot in prison."

"You wouldn't have known him anyways," Bell mumbled. Before anyone could respond, Tony spun and punched the man. Bell fell to the floor, grunting. Tony turned and walked out of the room.

* * *

Ziva lay next to Tony that night, running her hand repeatedly through his hair. He had been quiet for awhile, but finally was slowly relaxing to her touch.

"I'm sorry I've been cranky," he said slowly.

"It's fine," Ziva said soothingly. "You have the right to be."

"I know it's been hard, but I need to try to get past it. To move on."

"Good," Ziva said. "Living in sadness doesn't work, I promise you that."

"Yeah. Look, Ziva, I love you, and I'm happy with you," Tony said. "That's all I need."

"Well I hope you might be okay with a little bit more," Ziva said. "I'm pregnant, Tony."


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N So, sorry for the randomness. This is the second to last chapter, trying to wrap things up. I know it seems fast, but major writer's block has set in, so it's either this or nothing at all.**

As soon as the men responsible were convicted, which didn't take long, Ziva and Tony went to speak to Vance. Ziva spoke before Vance could, stepping up to the desk.

"Director," she began. "All parties involved in the Mason case have been found guilty."

"Good," Vance said, looking between the two of them. "Though somehow I don't think that's why you both came to see me."

"Yes," Ziva continued, staring at Vance, her back defiantly straight. "We require a leave of absence to deal with recent events." It was as if the room stood still. They had all been acting on an unspoken agreement to ignore whatever relationship was happening between Tony and Ziva, and they would act like nothing was going on. Now Ziva was dragging everything into the light.

"I see…" Vance said slowly. "How much time are you thinking of?"

"At least a month for me," Tony said.

"I will be taking more time," Ziva chimed in.

"Oh?"

"Yes. I will take the same month, but I will be unavailable for fieldwork when I return." Vance raised and eyebrow. "And later, I will require maternity leave."

Vance was momentarily frozen on the spot. He, like many others, had long suspected Ziva and Tony of having more than a strictly professional relationship, however as they were two of his best agents, he chose to refrain from investigating too deeply. Here they were shoving the evidence in his face. He recovered fairly quickly, reclining back in his chair, fingers together.

"You two realize of course, that in light of this, I cannot allow the two of you to continue working together on the same team," Vance stated. They both nodded.

"As contrary to my nature as it seems, I would prefer something in a more administrative setting," Ziva told him. Vance nodded and stared contemplatively at his entwined fingers.

"Office David, you will be reassigned immediately. DiNozzo, you will stay at your current position. As for your leave request, your month starts now."

Ziva and Tony wasted no time, they hopped on a plane the very next day to London where the vast majority of Tony's family was vacationing. To Tony's surprise, they a took immediately the Ziva, especially Tony's father, who rather approved of ruthlessness.

A few days into their stay at the DiNozzo's rented mansion, they announced Ziva's pregnancy. Everyone was shocked, but all expressed their excitement nonetheless. The next day, all of Tony's female relatives threw Ziva a baby shower. When she asked Tony how they pulled it off so quickly, he said "That's how it goes when you have money out the ears".

A week later, Tony and Ziva left to take some much needed time alone. They hit a few beaches, but the majority of their time was spent with each other and planning. They did receive a letter from Ziva's father who had heard about the pregnancy and wished to be involved. Ziva was tempted to let Tony send a photocopy of his middle finger in response, but in the end just ignored the letter. When the month was up, Tony was surprised to actually feel a bit refreshed.

Gibbs and McGee had struggled with the absence of two of their team members. No replacement seemed to do well, and they eventually were all kicked out. Vance threatened to stop gibing Gibbs agents if he kept driving them out after two cases. Gibbs just shrugged.

They were both grateful when Tony resumed active duty, though he did confide in them that he seriously considered not returning.

"Why?" McGee asked, alarmed at the prospect of having to train more replacements. "Isn't it women who are given maternity leave?"

"I already missed out on one..son's…life. I don't want to miss anything else." Gibbs said nothing but clapped Tony on the shoulder before returning to work.

Ziva returned the same day tony did, though the team only saw her momentarily. She was reassigned as what Vance called a 'consultant', though no one but the two of them seemed to know what she was consulted on. She also oversaw proficiency tests for hand to hand combat and firearms. It wasn't as exciting as field work, but Ziva found herself strangely okay with that.

Time seemed to shoot by, at least to Tony. Ziva grew steadily bigger, and it seemed like she went from finding out she was pregnant to suddenly ready to burst. Ziva, of course, saw things a little differently. She felt every random craving, mood swing, the back pain and the morning, noon and night sickness. Feeling the baby kick has been exciting at first, but as soon as it decided that her bladder was its own personal soccer ball, she grew weary of that, too. She was beyond ready when the nine months were up.

Around 11 PM on March 25th, Tony walked into the hospital's waiting room to announce that Hannah DiNozzo had entered the world.


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N Last chapter! I know it ends a little fast, but honestly there wasn't much else to do that wouldn't just be dragging it out.**

"Happy birthday dear Han-nah, happy birthday to you!" The end of the song was accompanied by cheers and whistles, much to the small one year old's delight. Hannah DiNozzo had her mother's olive skin and rich brown hair, which made her blue DiNozzo eyes that much more striking. Ziva picked up her daughter and swung her in a circle, blowing raspberries.

The motherly side of Ziva still caught others off guard (though the fierceness shocked no one), but Tony was used to it and loved it. Hannah saw Gibbs and reached for him, laughing.

"You want to go to Grandpa Gibbs?" she cooed. "Here we go!" Gibbs smiled as he took the girl from Ziva, we went to speak to Abby. Hannah curled into Gibbs' chest. Tony smiled and stroked Hannah's hair.

"Be grateful for your family, Tony," Gibbs said, staring at the younger man. "Not everyone gets a chance like this."

"I know," Tony said. His eyes automatically moved back to his drowsing daughter. "I love them Gibbs, more than I've ever loved anything. I'm never letting them go."

**Thanks for reading! I'm thinking of doing something with an older Hannah, way in the future. But I don't know when that will happen, I have a few other projects and school to work on right now.**


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